The Winnipeg ICE battled, but they got in too deep of a hole as they dropped their second preseason game on Friday night, 4-3 to the Saskatoon Blades inside Sasktel Centre.
For the past two seasons, it’s been the Kirby Dach show for Saskatoon. In that time, Kirby put up 37 goals and 90 points.
Although Kirby isn’t with the team at this point, his brother, Colton Dach is and what a treat he’s turning out to be. The 16-year-old stole the show on Friday for Saskatoon by scoring twice and he even won four faceoffs.
It didn’t take Dach long to put his mark on the game. Just 5:41 into the contest, he scored his third of the preseason with Kyle Crnkovic and Tristen Robbins earning the assists.
Just 1:58 later, the Blades kept on coming. This time, it was Scott Walford who beat Will Gurski, who ended up giving up three goals before being replaced. Ryan Hughes and Zach Huber notched the assists on the goal that came on the powerplay. Colton Dach’s game-opening goal was also on the man-advantage.
Before the first frame was over, Colton Dach struck again. He scored with exactly six minutes left in the first to give Saskatoon a 3-0 lead. Scott Walford continued a solid night with the primary assist while Riley McKay notched the secondary.
In a tough spot trailing by three goals after 20, the ICE sure didn’t go down without a fight in the second. Cole Muir scored his second goal in as many games to cut the deficit just 2:16 into the period. Nearly five minutes later with 7:07 elapsed in the second, the deficit was trimmed to just one.
Reece Harsch scored his first of the preseason on the powerplay. Carson Lambos and Holden Kodak had the assists.
Leading just 3-2, Saskatoon gave themselves some breathing room before the midway frame was up. They scored with 4:11 left in the second to go up 4-2. The game winning goal was scored by Brandon Lisowsky, his first of the preseason that was assisted by Kyle Crnkovis, his second of the game and Majid Kaddoura.
After trailing by that same 4-2 scoreline late in the third, Jakin Smallwood made it interesting. He potted his first of the preseason with just 1:00 left in the game. Isaac Johnson and Reece Harsch earned the assists.
With their goalie pulled, Winnipeg pushed, but they couldn’t find the equalizer in a 4-3 loss.
Will Gurski made just seven saves on 10 shots while Gage Alexander stopped 13 shots on 14 saves in relief.
Winnipeg is now 1-2 on the preseason. They remain in Saskatoon as the two team’s go-to battle again on Saturday evening from the Sasktel Centre.
Led by Kyle Crnkovic, the Blades’ are now 3-0-1.
Ice Chips:
- Winnipeg had just one player with two points (Reece Harsch). Saskatoon, meanwhile, had three (Walford, Dach, Crnkovic.)
- Saskatoon went 2-for-9 on the powerplay. Winnipeg went 1-for-4.
- Winnipeg outshot Saskatoon in two periods. 9-8 in the first and 17-7 in the second. Saskatoon won the shot battle in the third, 9-8.
- With an assist, young phenom Matthew Savoie’s point streak is now at two games.
- Smallwood had a goal for Winnipeg and he was also 13-for-21 on faceoffs.
